Ski Resort Closings 2014

[skiNEwhere]

Was at winter park yesterday. Can't believe they are gonna close with this much snow left.



Then again the place was completely dead. I mentioned this to the liftie and he said there were only 690 skiers, which is probably a generous number considering some of them had already gone home. Can't imagine WP made money yesterday.

 

[slatham]

And its going to dump this weekend! I was at Breck for 15" on April 14th. Even with a dump it was pretty empty, and the days thereafter were a ghost town. Would be very sad to see Breck closed on Monday 28th with a powder day. Wish I could get out there but I have had a great year......

 

[MadMadWorld]

And its going to dump this weekend! I was at Breck for 15" on April 14th. Even with a dump it was pretty empty, and the days thereafter were a ghost town. Would be very sad to see Breck closed on Monday 28th with a powder day. Wish I could get out there but I have had a great year......

Non ECers don't know how good they have it

 

[skiNEwhere]

Non ECers don't know how good they have it

As a former EC'er, trust me I do.

It's torture to see resorts close down not due to lack of snow, but not enough skier volume to justify staying open

 

[dlague]

Was at winter park yesterday. Can't believe they are gonna close with this much snow left.

View attachment 12462View attachment 12463

Then again the place was completely dead. I mentioned this to the liftie and he said there were only 690 skiers, which is probably a generous number considering some of them had already gone home. Can't imagine WP made money yesterday.

That looks sweet!

 

[MadPatSki]

Its not the West, but there are places in the East (okay, maybe its only in Eastern Canada) with prime 100% open terrain that are closing lack of paying customer. The best example is Mont Miller in Murdochville in the Gaspé Peninsula which had 100% of its runs open on its closing weekend at Easter. No snowmaking, all natural plus they got another foot of snow this week. There are a few others that I can think of like Smokey Mountain in Labrador, but even if there is snow, its hard to get people interested later in the season.

 

[Rowsdower]

Its not the West, but there are places in the East (okay, maybe its only in Eastern Canada) with prime 100% open terrain that are closing lack of paying customer. The best example is Mont Miller in Murdochville in the Gaspé Peninsula which had 100% of its runs open on its closing weekend at Easter. No snowmaking, all natural plus they got another foot of snow this week. There are a few others that I can think of like Smokey Mountain in Labrador, but even if there is snow, its hard to get people interested later in the season.

Most resorts are relying on out-of-towners to drive business and people generally, aside from the die-hards, aren't planning ski trips in April.

 

[dlague]

Rock on and keep calm with the diehards!


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[thetrailboss]

Alta is going one more weekend after this; Snowbird until Memorial Day. You can ski Snowbird for $42 when you show them your expired season pass at another resort.

 

[abc]

aside from the die-hards, aren't planning ski trips in April.

That's not entirely true.

I haven't always been such a die-hard. I used to be your typical 1 week plus a couple weekend a season kind of "casual skier". Yet I almost always do one of my weekend in April. Reason being I got Good Friday off. So it was a 3 day weekend for me on Easter weekend.

And like what I did this year, I had also on occasion took the preceding Thursday or following Monday off to make a mini-vacation out of it. Or even the entire week prior to Easter out west (because of uncertain condition/open status on the east)

It had always annoyed me to no end that so many mountains either close entirely, or scale back open terrain still having tons of coverage! Even this year, with twice weekly storms, both Copper and Winter Park, the 2 western resort on my pass, closes mid-week right after Easter (not to mention Copper closing the entire back bowl the week PRIOR to Easter) which really crammed my style!

I know a lot of people fear the spring slush. But that's definitely a skill/tactic thing that can be turn 180 degree to be enjoyed!

I do understand "other activities" can be a factor. But there're also a lot of us whose "other activity" are well... more skiing! (more seriously, I have bad spring allergy so I can't start any of my summer activity until after Memorial Day... hence more skiing through May if possible!)

In short, there's definitely un-tapped potential for Spring skiing in the month of April. Condition permitting, that is. But it's such a vicious cycle that mountains closes early with tons of snow around so people stop planning for skiing trips in April altogether! And the mountain blame people for not planning trips so they lose money and have to close regardless of amount of snow around.

 

[pcampbell]

Has anyone been skiing Sugarbush? I skinned Mt Ellen today and it was surprisingly great, but I don't like much sitting on lifts in the rain. I want to get out there with my son 1 more time--thinking tomorrow may work. Got tickets to burn quite honestly too... hoping for 1 last sunny day next week.

 

[thetrailboss]

Has anyone been skiing Sugarbush? I skinned Mt Ellen today and it was surprisingly great, but I don't like much sitting on lifts in the rain. I want to get out there with my son 1 more time--thinking tomorrow may work. Got tickets to burn quite honestly too... hoping for 1 last sunny day next week.

Unfortunately this time of year you have to ski what you get because if you are too picky the season will end before you know it.

 

[steamboat1]

Has anyone been skiing Sugarbush? I skinned Mt Ellen today and it was surprisingly great, but I don't like much sitting on lifts in the rain. I want to get out there with my son 1 more time--thinking tomorrow may work. Got tickets to burn quite honestly too... hoping for 1 last sunny day next week.

Sugarbush is weekends only after tomorrow 4/27 (conditions permitting).

 

[chuckstah]

Sugarloaf is closing May 4th per their daily update. New England will be down to Killington and Jay after the 4th as it looks now.

 

[EPB]

Wildcat is planning to reopen next weekend, per its website.

 

[yeggous]

Wildcat is planning to reopen next weekend, per its website.

I was there today. The upper mountain had about 5" of fresh snow, but other than that was toast due to their crippled snow making. They won't be able to run the summit quad next weekend.

Base depths on the lower mountain are much better. Polecat looks good off the Tomcat (for now). Middle Lynx is getting very thin but Lower Lynx is good. They'd have to do a lot of snow farming to reopen Lynx. Most of the trails off of the Bobcat Triple look good. Alley Cat was the only one in questionable shape.


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[steamboat1]

Word is Killington is going Fri, Sat. Sun. only after next weekend (conditions permitting of course).

 

[pcampbell]

Sugarbush is weekends only after tomorrow 4/27 (conditions permitting).

Got it. Hit up The bush yesterday and it was decent. Some new snow early. Got somewhat mushy towards the EOD but still fun. If you can almost still glide on the Traverse over to Steins it's all good wish I had some fatter boards but still fun. I have 1 quad ticket left and I think they'll be open to use it.

 

[pcampbell]

Hard not to respect that decision to close mid week (both K and bush). They are prob losing money now (?).

 

[WWF-VT]

Hard not to respect that decision to close mid week (both K and bush). They are prob losing money now (?).

They are losing money now